DeWitt lawyer sentenced for not filing tax returns

Dick Blume / The Post-StandardBonnie Strunk arrives in Onondaga County Court March 8.Syracuse, NY - DeWitt lawyer Bonnie Strunk was sentenced this morning to a three-year conditional discharge for failing to file tax returns for 2008.

That plead deal to a felony charge of fourth-degree criminal tax fraud satisfied other charges that Strunk stole the identity of her former law partner's husband to open up a credit card account.

Strunk today maintained she was innocent of any wrongdoing involving those allegations but agreed to pay restitution in the credit card case.

She also claimed she was the victim of "malicious, fraudulent and criminal conduct" by Faith and Robert Seidenberg. Faith Seidenberg is Strunk's former law partner. Dr. Robert Seidenberg is her psychiatrist husband and the victim in the identity-theft case.

Strunk and the Seidenbergs have made local news for decades as crusaders for civil liberties. The local chapter of the Civil Liberties Union has named an award for Faith Seidenberg. Her husband was the first male president of a local chapter of the National Organization for Women. Strunk, a one-time candidate for district attorney, has championed gay rights.

The prosecution contended Strunk used Dr. Seidenberg's identity to open up a Capitol One MasterCard account and then stole about $17,000 by using the account to pay veterinary bills in Georgia, PayPal accounts in California and for airline tickets on JetBlue Airways.

The prosecution filed the felony tax fraud charge after efforts to work out a plea deal in the identity theft case fell through. The prosecution contended Strunk failed to file personal tax returns in April 2009 and that she had a tax liability of about $11,777 for 2008.

Defense lawyer Christine Cook advised state Supreme Court Justice John Brunetti in court today that the tax liability amount is less than what authorities originally thought.

As part of the plea deal, Strunk must file her 2008 tax returns within 30 days of today's sentencing. The defense also agreed to pay today the restitution in the credit card case despite Strunk's claims of innocence.

Strunk told Brunetti she would be pursuing "appropriate action" against the Seidenbergs relating to their "criminal conduct." She claimed her financial, personal and business records had been destroyed by the Seidenbergs.

"I will not rest until that is resolved," she told the judge.

The long-time business partnership between Faith Seidenberg and Strunk fell apart when the allegations of identity theft first arose in 2008.

As she left court, Strunk declined further comment beyond promising to send out a press release when she files a civil lawsuit in the matter. Cook and co-counsel Linda Gehron also declined comment as they left court.

As a result of her felony conviction, Strunk faces automatic disbarment. There was no mention of that at today's sentencing.